Frog and lotus

[ABHandmade]

Completed coloring. 
This is my second attempt to portray water. I do not know how good or bad I managed it ...

Carving, modeling, embossing.
Spirit dyes, acrylic paints.
Size 11 x 8 inches.

View before coloring

[Rbarleatherworks]

That's just amazing

[JLSleather]

Your work always looks good, Boss.

In THIS case, I give ya the most "points" for the crisp distinction in the frog, the subtle color distinction in the flower, and the shift in focus from the frog & flower to the pads and water.

Still, the pads and water also look quite good (love the perspective!), I just think that other features of your work have occluded the water a bit.  Since it's "background", that's absolutely appropriate here.

Now, I suspect you KNEW that's what I would say ... 

[ABHandmade]

1 hour ago, Rbarleatherworks said:

That's just amazing

Thank you for compliment!

29 minutes ago, JLSleather said:

Your work always looks good, Boss.

In THIS case, I give ya the most "points" for the crisp distinction in the frog, the subtle color distinction in the flower, and the shift in focus from the frog & flower to the pads and water.

Still, the pads and water also look quite good (love the perspective!), I just think that other features of your work have occluded the water a bit.  Since it's "background", that's absolutely appropriate here.

Now, I suspect you KNEW that's what I would say ... 

Thank you, Sir!

I would like to express my gratitude to you and Mike ( @mikesc )  for the fact that you contributed to the fact that I began to master the work with the airbrush. Water and leaves in this work are my first experience of using this wonderful tool. I hope that in time I will be able to use it at least part as well as you.

[JLSleather]

35 minutes ago, ABHandmade said:

I hope that in time I will be able to use it at least part as well as you.

I'm gonna say that an educated guess for when you are better with color than I am... would be....... [ drum roll  ]  about half an hour ago

 

[Northmount]

Really great piece of work, should say really great piece of art!

Tom

[ABHandmade]

@JLSleather

Thanks, Jeff, but as far as airbrush skills are concerned, I remain unconvinced.

6 hours ago, Northmount said:

Really great piece of work, should say really great piece of art!

Tom

Thank you, Tom!

But it seems that I am moving in the wrong direction. The more I try to achieve realism, the less people love my work 
The problem is that I am more attracted to realism than ornament.
The more valuable for me are those who support me

Edited June 2, 2019 by ABHandmade

[RockyAussie]

Faaannntastic. I think that the best work will always come from what you  like doing best. I love the frog a lot.

[Stewart]

That is outstanding tooling and painting.the foreground dictates the color of water and that's like chasing the wind.

 

 

[bermudahwin]

48 minutes ago, ABHandmade said:

But it seems that I am moving in the wrong direction. The more I try to achieve realism, the less people love my work 

Why would you say this?

Your work remains very good indeed, each person is their own harshest critic, seeing the tiniest, often immaterial flaws as huge issues.

You are learning, from your own admission, and there are many that consider themselves veteran rather than novice that will look at your work and have great takeaways from it.

On a scrap, use PVA as a water highlight, and see if you like the effect. It lifts the ripples and wave crests in water, you may want to thin it, which is why scrap is best to practice.

H